There are more than 1000 species of sharks and rays worldwide. Sharks are apex predators in the ocean and they keep the ecosystem balanced. With decreasing populations, many ecosystems are becoming unbalanced leading to an increase in species that otherwise would have low populations and increased invasive species with no predators.
Due to overfishing and bycatch, some species are on the verge of extinction. Some threatened species include:
The great white shark (classified as vulnerable)
Whale sharks (classified as endangered by the IUCN)
The great hammerhead (classified as critically endangered)
Dusky sharks are officially endangered. They are highly sought after for finning(a practice where fishermen catch and cut the fins from shark ,throw them back into the ocean defenseless to prey ,bleeding out and unable to properly float).
Sand tiger sharks are classified as critically endangered. They have 1-2 pups every two to three’s years making it much more harder for their populations to naturally replenish.
Ganges shark-very rarely seen and it is estimated that approximately 250 of this species are alive. They are true river sharks(can inhabit freshwater) and a unique threat to them is pollution.
To give these sharks and many others a fighting chance,sustainable fishing practices should be enforced and ecosystem pollution should be reduced.
